I CAN'T MEDITATE!

I just can't sit down for meditation. I can’t enter a meditative state, I can’t meditate, and even if I do, I can’t sustain it or make it a daily habit. Because of these three fundamental obstacles—ones we often see as barriers—we struggle with meditation and eventually give up. Since meditation is the highest and ultimate point of all disciplines and teachings, and after a certain stage, it becomes increasingly emphasized, and since some of its benefits cannot be obtained through any other practice, I will try to address this issue in detail and offer some suggestions.

1. First, let’s address the difficulty of sitting down for meditation.

This issue is entirely related to resistance. You may need to work on your resistances before even sitting for meditation. This is why, in most practices, meditation is not introduced in the initial stages but rather when some resistances have been broken down and a sense of balance and energy has been established.

It is important to understand the root cause: Whenever you start something new, even if it is beneficial and you consciously desire it, your comfort zone, existing programs, and subconscious system start working against it. They see the new and unknown as a threat, a cost, and a burden. There is already a functioning program that has brought you here, protected you, and kept you alive—whether in pain or pleasure, it has been running. Meditation, like any other transformative practice, can feel like a difficult and unpleasant “death” to a mind experiencing it for the first time.

At this point, your resistance manifests in various ways—making excuses, creating distractions, fears, sudden drowsiness, rationalized self-sabotage, intrusive thoughts, emotional fluctuations, and even physical symptoms.

If you have strong resistance, start with very small steps instead of immediately attempting long meditation sessions of 20, 30, or 40 minutes. Try just 3–5 minutes a day or integrate short meditative practices into your daily life. This way, your resistance won’t be triggered too strongly, and you will slowly build new neural pathways and habits. Gradually increase the time each week (e.g., adding 2–3 minutes).

Another recommendation is to meditate at a time when you feel naturally calm and at ease. Once you identify this time, keep it consistent for at least three months, preferably six. Meditating at the same time, in the same place, and even wearing the same clothes helps create an energetic field, making it easier and more automatic over time.

Additionally, don’t switch meditation techniques frequently whenever you hit a resistance point. Constantly jumping from one method to another slows your progress and distracts from the core issue. A common mistake is creating a “technique soup.”

2. The second issue: “I can’t meditate” or “I can’t enter a meditative state.”

There are two main reasons for this:

• Misconceptions about meditation. Many things labeled as "meditation" are actually relaxation exercises, astral projections, contemplation, guided imagery, or concentration exercises. People believe their mind must be completely silent during meditation, leading to struggles against thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. When this struggle fails, they conclude, “I can’t meditate,” and give up.

The first thing to understand is that meditation is not something you do—it is something that happens. The goal is not to enter deep meditative states every time but simply to sit and observe the mind as it is.

The mind does not “shut up.” Instead, awareness develops by witnessing it. In meditation, remember that there is the observer and the observed—the watcher and the watched. Thoughts, emotions, sensations, symbols, stories, matter, meaning, consciousness, the subconscious, the collective consciousness—all of these are objects of observation. You are not these things; you are the sky, not the clouds.

Every time you become entangled in thoughts, return to the observer. This happens countless times in a single meditation session. With consistent practice, you will transition into deeper meditative states more easily and for longer periods.

Your main task is to observe without judgment, labels, or interpretations—simply allow whatever arises to pass. Each time you become absorbed in an experience, return to the observer.

After every meditation session, reward yourself without labeling the session as "good" or "bad."

• Meditation myths.Some rigid rules—such as "your body must be still," "you must not move," "meditation must be done in complete silence," "breathing should be a certain way," or "you must meditate for a specific duration"—can actually become obstacles rather than aids. While structure has a purpose, rigid rules can turn into mental barriers.

For example, traditional meditation tools like mantras, chants, breath awareness, or objects of focus can sometimes keep you stuck in mental effort rather than helping you transcend it. If silence is distracting, use music. If sitting still is difficult, try moving meditations first (like walking meditation or dancing for a few minutes before sitting, as in Osho’s Dynamic or Kundalini Meditation).

If your mind keeps obsessing over something, deal with that issue first before sitting to meditate. Another helpful trick is to engage in intense physical movement for a few minutes before meditation—this helps balance brainwave states and clears excess energy.

3. Lastly, “I meditate, but I can’t sustain it,” or “I practice regularly but then stop.”

If you’ve managed to integrate meditation into your life but struggle to maintain it, this is the next challenge. Meditation, like any other skill, has layers of development. Just like an athlete trains daily, meditation needs to be practiced consistently to fully integrate its benefits into daily life.

If you meditate only when you feel like it or when you think you “need” it, it will be difficult to make real progress. Instead, return to the first principle: consistency. The issue at this stage is usually not resistance but imbalances in priorities, improper integration, or difficulty handling meditation’s effects.

All spiritual practices aim to bring meditativeness into daily life. Meditation is not just a separate practice—it is meant to influence your entire way of being. Some people believe that if they become meditative in daily life, formal meditation is no longer necessary. However, true masters—those who integrate meditation into every aspect of life—still meditate daily.

To sustain meditation long-term, develop a higher principle beyond personal likes and dislikes. Many assume that experienced meditators “love” meditating every day, but this is a misconception. Commitment goes beyond preference.

For those who ask, "What comes next?"—A Zen proverb answers:"Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

Yet, not all wood is the same, not all carriers are the same, and not everyone’s understanding of enlightenment is the same.

I hope this sheds some light on our journey.

Ahu BİRLİK